CIVIC chiefs have given final approval to a £400 million capital programme for Winchester over the next ten years to 2031 and also a rent rise for their 5,000 tenants.

The biggest part is for housing of £340m, including £239m on building 1,000 affordable homes in the next ten years, and £70m on major repairs and maintenance.

Among the capital schemes are the new sports and leisure centre due to open this spring; tackling the climate emergency and creating a greener district, £17m; and creating a vibrant local economy, £36.7m.

At full Council the Conservative opposition repeated their attacks on the programme, citing a “lack of ambition.”

Cllr Stephen Godfrey asked what had happened to Station Approach and the Central Winchester Regeneration better known as Silver Hill. “The council should be pressing on with schemes to bring employment to Winchester. Stop this dither and delay which is the hallmark of this administration.”

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Tory leader Caroline Horrill said the Supplementary Planning Document for Silver Hill had involved thousands of people but had not been actioned. “The council needs to stop its reviewing and start delivering.”

The Lib Dems say that the massive uncertainty of the Covid crisis has slowed progress on major projects such as Station Approach and Silver Hill.

Senior Lib Dem Kelsie Learney countered: “The belief there is a magic money tree still seems to be in the Conservative group despite their failure to find it when they were in office.”

Some £500,000 will be spent on demolishing the Friarsgate medical centre and clearing the area for an interim open space before future development in the Silver Hill scheme. Demolition will save on business rates and maintaining the empty building, estimated at £64,000 a year.

Some £10 million is being set aside for land purchase for future council house building.

The council also confirmed a rent rise for tenants of 1.5 per cent. The average council rent of £105.33 a week is far below the median private rent in Winchester of £196.

The city council is also setting aside £500,000 for a hardship fund to help people struggling financially and mentally.

Conservative group leader Caroline Horrill said: “A rent increase of 1.5 per cent is concerning at a time of pressure on families so I welcome the £500,000 hardship fund for those under pressure.”

But she criticised plans to remove an outreach worker who works with the homeless, without sorting out an alternative arrangement with other agencies.

Cllr Paula Ferguson said that fuel bills can be as much as a third of people’s income.